This document discusses verb patterns in English, specifically gerunds and infinitives. It provides examples of verbs that take infinitives with "to" and without "to". Verbs that take the infinitive with "to" include want, help, refuse, and verbs of perception in their passive form. Verbs that take the bare infinitive include modal verbs like can, may, must. Certain verbs and expressions also take the bare infinitive, such as have to, rather, sooner, need hardly. The document outlines the different structures and provides numerous examples to illustrate proper usage of gerunds and infinitives.

1. VERB PATTERNS
Gerunds and Infinitives
['ʤer(ə)nd]
[ɪn'fɪnətɪv]

3. VERB PATTERNS IN ENGLISH
THE INFINITIVE
PATTERNS
VERB + TO
INFINITIVE
VERB + OBJECT +
TO INFINITIVE
VERB + OBJECT +
INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO
I want to go
to the
cinema.
I want her
to go to the
cinema.
She made
me cry.
She stopped
to smoke.

VERB + TO INFINITIVE
or GERUND
WITH
WITHOUT
CHANGE
OF MEANING
CHANGE
OF MEANING
I started to cry.
She stopped
smoking.
=
I started crying.

4. An Infinitive is the basic form of a verb. You
can use an infinitive as the subject, the
complement, or the object of a sentence.
Examples:
•To learn is important. subject of sentence
•The
most
important
thing
is
to
learn. complement of sentence
•He wants to learn. object of sentence
Infinitives can be made negative by adding
"not."
Examples:
•I decided not to go.
•The most important thing is not to give up.

5. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (1)
The infinitive with to is used:
• After certain verbs which can be
followed by to-infinitive or by a noun
or pronoun:
I want to go to the movies,
• or verb + object + to infinitive:
I want him to come with me to the movies,
where HIM act as the subject of the
infinitive.

6. The following verbs, among others, admit
these constructions:
Verbs of thinking and feeling:
Choose
Decide
Expect
Hate
Hope
Intend
Learn
Like
Mean / Plan / Prefer / would like / would love
Verbs of saying:
Agree / promise /refuse
Other common verbs are:
Arrange / attempt / fail / help / manage / tend / try / want

7. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (2)
To express the infinitive of purpose:
I went to the theatre to book the tickets.
He bought the English dictionary to look up difficult words.
Janine sold her car to get the money that she needed.
Juan uses Englishpage.com to learn English.
The corresponding negative is often constructed with in
order not to or so as not to:
I came in quietly in order not to/so as not to wake up
the children.

8. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (3)
• After
nouns,
when
the
infinitive
functions
as
a
modifier of the noun:
A book to read.

9. Nouns Followed by Infinitives
advice
His advice to continue was good.
appeal
The appeal to reduce pollution was ineffective.
attempt
Her attempt to locate them was unsuccessful.
chance
In Britain, you will have a chance to improve your English.
decision
The decision to increase taxes was not popular.
desire
His desire to get a good job motivated him.
dream
Her dream to become an actress was never realized.
goal
His goal to run a marathon seemed unrealistic.
motivation
Her motivation to enter university impressed them.
need
Bob's need to be the center of attention was irritating.
opportunity
The opportunity to live in New York interested Sandra.
order
They followed the general's order to retreat.
permission
Permission to enter the area was difficult to get.
plan
Sandy's plan to move to Madrid bothered her parents.
preparation
NASA's preparations to launch on Monday moved forward.
proposal
Her proposal to host the party impressed the committee.
recommendation His recommendation to close the school upset the community.
refusal
Debra's refusal to help did not go unnoticed.
reminder
Her reminder to review the vocabulary helped me pass the test.
request
Their request to participate was granted.
requirement
Their requirement to speak four languages was unreasonable.
suggestion
His suggestion to leave seemed like a good idea.
tendency
His tendency to tap his desk during a test annoyed me.
wish
Her wish to be treated normally was respected.
way
One way to improve your English is to read novels.

10. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (4)
After adjectives, when the
infinitive functions as a
modifier of the adjective:
This word is easy to spell.
They were anxious to begin.
She
was
delighted
to
receive such good feedback.
He is lucky to have such good
friends.

11. There are many "be + adjective" combinations that are commonly followed by infinitives.
be amazed
He was amazed to discover the truth.
be anxious
She was anxious to start her new job.
be ashamed
He was ashamed to admit he had lied.
be bound
She is bound to be elected class president.
be careful
They were careful not to reveal the winner of the prize until the end.
be certain
She is certain to get the job.
be content
The student was content to receive second place in the competition.
be delighted
We were delighted to be invited to the wedding.
be determined
He was determined to finish the marathon.
be eager
He was eager to begin.
be eligible
They were not eligible to participate in the program.
be fortunate
She was fortunate to receive the research grant.
be glad
I would be glad to help out.
be happy
She was happy to see them at the party.
be hesitant
Mary was hesitant to say anything.
be liable
The mountain climber is liable to hurt himself if he doesn't use well-made
equipment.
be likely
They are likely to show up at any time.
be lucky
You were lucky to have such an opportunity.
be pleased
I am pleased to meet you.
be proud
He was proud to have been chosen to lead the project.
be ready
I'm ready to go now.
be reluctant
The witness was reluctant to reveal what he had seen.
be sad
She was really sad to leave.
be shocked
He was shocked to discover the truth.
be sorry
I am sorry to have to tell you that the tickets are sold out.
be surprised
She was surprised to discover that he had never learned how to swim.

12. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (5)
After certain adverbs such as enough and too:
This suitcase is too big for me to carry.
“too + adjective/adverb + infinitive”
•The box is too heavy to carry.
•The television is too expensive to buy.
•Fiona ran too slowly to win the race.
•We arrived too late to see the beginning of the movie.
“adjective/adverb + enough + infinitive”
•She is tall enough to reach the book on the shelf.
•Brian was smart enough to enter college at the age of 12.
•Linda runs quickly enough to win the race.
“enough + noun(s) + infinitive”
•He has enough money to buy his own car.
•Cheryl owns enough books to start her own library!
•Diane needs enough time to finish writing her book.
•

13. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (6)
After:
the first Gagarin was the first to fly in a
spaceship.
the last Peter was the last to watch the film.
the next He is the next to get his passport.

14. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (7)
After verbs such as
to
to
to
to
know,
teach,
learn,
show
followed by an interrogative word + infinitive
(with the value of a subordinate noun
clause):
I know where to go.

15. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (8)
After several verbs (hear, feel, see, and make)
in the passive voice:
She was made to open her suitcase at the
airport. Where her acts as the subject of the
infinitive.
NB: Although in the active voice we use the
bare infinitive:
We made her open the case.

16. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (9)
In impersonal passive sentences: The Official
Language School is believed to have a great
number of students.
• There are also a number of independent
constructions which also use the to-infinitive:
To sum up, to cut a long story short! to tell
•
(you) the truth! to say nothing of! (не
говоря уже о) to put it mildly (мягко
выражаясь) to say the least of it (по
меньшей мере) to begin/start with!
(начнем с того, что) etc.

17. Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (10)
•
•
•
•
In the construction: For + a noun or pronoun in
the accusative + infinitive: This coffee is very
hot for her to drink.
With the immediate future (going to): I’m going
to eat in a Japanese.
With to have to / ought to / used to: He has to
wake up now if he doesn’t want to miss the
train./ I used to visit my grandparents on
Sunday when I was a child.
With the structure to be to to express a
command or arrangement: He is to go right now.

18. Bare/Plain Infinitive or Infinitive
Without to (1)
AFTER MODALS
after auxiliaries/modals
can
He can run very fast.
could
As a boy he could run very fast.
may
I may fly to Africa this summer.
might
I might fly to Africa this summer.
must
I must go now.
mustn't You mustn't smoke here.
needn't You needn't go.
shall
We shall sing a song.
should
We should sing a song.
will
She will cook a meal for his birthday.
would
She would cook a meal for his birthday.

19. Bare/Plain Infinitive or Infinitive
Without to (2)
•
With verbs of perception, such as to hear, to
see, to watch, to feel, to notice, to observe, to
overhear
):
(подслушивать
I saw Pablo and Javier enter.
She feels the rain fall on her face.
I heard Peter sing a song.
Mandy noticed the boy climb the tree.
They saw him climb up the roof.
He watched the thieves steal a car.
•
Nevertheless, in the passive the infinitive is used
with to:
They were seen to enter.

20. NB: There is a difference between the infinitive and the –ing
form. The infinitive suggests that we see or hear the whole of
an action or event. An –ing form, on the other hand, suggests
that we hear or see an action in progress.
A progressive form can suggest repetition.
I saw her throwing stones at the dog.
NB: Only –ing forms can be used after can see, can hear, can
smell etc.
I could smell something burning.
I could hear her crying.

21. Look at
Look at can be followed by an object +
-ing form. In American English, object +
infinitive is also possible.
Look at him eating!
Look at him eat!

22. Help
(didn’t) dare + (to) Infinitive
Dare (not usually used in the progressive tenses) to
be brave enough to do something She said it as loudly
as she dared.dare (to) do something He didn't dare
(to) say what he thought.They daren't ask for any
more money.(LITERARY) She dared not breathe a word
of it to anybody.Dare to be different!There was
something, dare I say it, a little unusual about him.
help somebody (to) do something The college's
aim is to help students (to) achieve their
aspirations.This charity aims to help people (to)
help themselves.Come and help me lift this
box.help (to) do something She helped (to)
organize the party.
somebody can (not) help (doing) something
| somebody can not help but do something
used to say that it is impossible to prevent or
avoid something
I can't help thinking he knows more than he
has told us.
Dare usually forms negatives and questions like an ordinary
verb and is followed by an infinitive with to. It is most
common in the negative:
I didn’t dare to ask.
He won’t dare to break his promise.
You told him? How did you dare?
I hardly dared to hope she’d remember me.
In positive sentences a phrase like not be afraid is often
used instead: She wasn’t afraid (= she dared) to tell him the
truth.
It can also be used like a modal verb especially in present
tense negative forms in British English, and is followed by
an infinitive without to: I daren’t tell her the truth.
In spoken English, the forms of the ordinary verb are often
used with an infinitive without to: Don’t you dare tell her
what I said!
I didn’t dare look at him.

23. The verbs dare and need can also be followed by the infinitive with to. In
such sentences we use do to make questions and negatives.
I dared not call you. = I didn't dare to call you. These two sentences have the
same meaning, only the form is different.
NB:
You needn't listen to him. (You don't have to listen to him.) ≠ You don't need
to listen to him. (There is no need to listen.) These two sentences are
different in the form and meaning, too.
Usage note: need
There are two separate verbs need. Need as a main verb has the question form do you need?, the
negative you don’t need and the past forms needed, did you need? and didn’t need. It has two meanings:
1. to require something or to think that something is necessary: Do you need any help? ◇ I needed to get
some sleep. 2. to have to or to be obliged to do something: Will we need to show our passports?
Need as a modal verb has need for all forms of the present tense, need you? as the question form
and need not (needn’t) as the negative. The past is need have, needn’t have. It is used to say that
something is or is not necessary: Need I pay the whole amount now?

24. need
Need can be used in the following ways:
as a transitive verb (followed by a noun or pronoun object): I need a drink. ♦ Do you need
anything? (followed by an infinitive with 'to'):She needs to rest. ♦ You don't need to
worry. (followed by 'to' without a following infinitive): You can stay longer if you need to.
as a modal verb (usually followed by an infinitive without 'to'): This is the only thing you
need do.
The modal verb need is mainly used in questions and negatives, which are formed without
'do': Need I pay now? ♦ You need not worry. In American English, except for a few phrases
such as 'need I say more?', the modal verb is used only in formal language and some
journalism.
The negative need not is often shortened to needn't in conversation and informal writing.
The modal verb need does not change its form, so the third person singular of the present
tense does not end in '-s': He need not take the exam.
The ordinary transitive verb need has a regular past tense needed: They needed to be
careful.
The modal verb need has no past tense, but it can be used in the pattern need not
have/needn't have followed by a past participle, to show that although someone did
something, it was not necessary: You needn't have waited for me.
The ordinary transitive verb has a future tense will need: You will need to show your
passport.
In many cases, especially in questions and negatives using the simple present tense
followed by an infinitive, there are two possible patterns: Need I come with you? = Do I
need to come with you? ♦ He needn't come. = He doesn't need to come.

25. Bare/Plain Infinitive or Infinitive
Without to (3)
• With some other verbs and expressions that govern a
bare infinitive, for instance, to make, to let, had
better, had rather, had sooner, need hardly,
cannot but, etc.:
You had better clean up your room.
Susan would rather study for her exam tomorrow.
I would sooner read a book than watch this film.
Why not ask your neighbour for help?
Why should we go by car?
Why should we not go by car?

26. Bare/Plain Infinitive or Infinitive
Without to (4)
•
In noun predicate clauses, when the
subject is a pseudo-cleft* [ˈ əʊ]
sjuˈd
sentence, both constructions are
possible:
What you’ve done is (to) spoil our
plans.
* pseudo-cleft (also pseudo-cleft sentence) - a sentence which resembles a
cleft sentence by conveying emphasis or politeness through the use of a
relative clause, such as: what we want is money representing “we want
money”

27. Some verbs are followed by a noun plus
an infinitive. In some situations, the noun is
required. In other situations, the noun is
optional.
Examples:
•The police ordered the man to
stop. noun is required
•She asked to leave. noun is optional
•She asked him to leave. noun is optional

28. Verb + Required Noun + Infinitive
advise*
I advised them to see a doctor.
allow*
Ireland doesn't allow people to smoke in bars.
cause
He caused her to make a mistake.
convince Ned convinced me to quit my job.
enable
Financial aid enabled the students to pay such expensive tuition
fees.
encourage* He encourages his patients to eat healthy foods.
force
The commander forced the soldiers to march in the rain.
get (cause to)
Isabelle got Mike to wash her car.
hire
Mr. Donelly hired Sarah to work as a receptionist.
invite
We invited them to join us.
order
The police ordered him to put his hands in the air.
permit*
California doesn't permit people to fish without a fishing license.
remind
They reminded me to pay the bills before the end of the month.
Require* The certificate requires students to complete two courses.
tell
He told me to shut up.
urge*
They urge citizens to recycle bottles and paper.
warn
She warned him not to be late.
* = verb followed by a gerund OR a noun + an infinitive

29. Verb + Optional Noun + Infinitive
Notice in the examples below that the verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a noun
plus an infinitive. When a noun is added, it usually changes who or what is performing
the action. To understand this better, look at the first verb "ask" and its examples. In the
first sentence, she is asking if she herself can leave. In the second sentence, she is
requesting that a man leave. Study the examples below and consider how the optional
noun changes the meaning.
ask
She asked to leave.
She asked him to leave.
choose I chose to help out.
I chose him to help out.
expect
They expect to arrive early.
The expect him to arrive early.
Need*
I need to clean the house.
I need her to clean the house.
prepare They prepared to take the test.
They prepared her to take the test.
promise She promised to stop smoking
She promised him to stop smoking.
threaten He threatened to leave forever.
He threatened her to leave forever.
want
I want to study Spanish.
I want my son to study Spanish.
wish
I wish to stay.
I wish him to stay. rare form
would like
* = verb followed by a gerund OR an infinitive with a difference in meaning

30. VERB + TO INFINITIVE
AGREE
DECIDE
HOPE
FORGET
LEARN
PROMISE
PLAN
REFUSE
WANT
WOULD LIKE
WOULD PREFER
WOULD HATE
They decided to divide the profits equally.
I promise to wait.
He forgot to leave the car keys on the table.
TO DO
We would like to visit Japan in 2006.
She learnt to drive a car.
She agreed to come with us.
WOULD LOVE
They want to go to the football match.

31. VERB + OBJECT + TO INFINITIVE
ALLOW
ASK
HELP
NEED
INVITE
ORDER
REMIND
They allowed us to go to the party.
Mary
her
us
TELL
WANT
the students
WOULD LIKE
WOULD PREFER
WOULD HATE
Peter & John
WOULD LOVE
We want the students to visit the new museum.
TO DO
She told me to go there.
We would like you to come with us.
I ordered Mary to wait.
He asked us to leave by half past seven.

32. VERB PATTERNS IN ENGLISH
THE GERUND
PATTERNS
VERB + GERUND
or TO INFINITIVE
VERB + GERUND
WITH
WITHOUT
CHANGE
OF MEANING
CHANGE
OF MEANING
She stopped
smoking.

She stopped
to smoke.
I started crying.
=
I started to cry.
I love singing.

33. A gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding "-ing.“
A GERUND is a verb in its "ing" form (the present participle); for
example, raining, dancing, laughing, thinking, creating, running, and so
on.
By definition, they are activities - either physical or mental.
These words function as NOUNS in a sentence
You can use a gerund as the subject, the complement, or the
object of a sentence.
Examples:
•Reading helps you learn English. subject of sentence
•Her favorite hobby is reading. complement of sentence
•I enjoy reading. object of sentence
Gerunds can be made negative by adding "not."
Examples:
•He enjoys not working.
•The best thing for your health is not smoking.

34. Gerunds can often be modified with possessive
forms
such
as
his, her, its, your, their, our, John's, Mary's, the
machine's, and so on. This makes it clearer who
or what is performing the action.
Examples:
•I enjoyed their singing. They were singing.
•She understood his saying no to the offer. He
said no.
•Sam resented* Debbie's coming late to the
dinner. Debbie came late to the dinner.
•We
discussed
the
machine's
being broken. The machine is broken.
•*resent [rɪ'zent] негодовать, возмущаться; обижаться

35. •
There are some verbs which can also
be followed by the to-infinitive or
gerund with a slight difference in
meaning. Let’s compare these two
sentences:
– I like going to the beach. It expresses a
general or habitual action.
– I like to go to the beach early in the
morning. It expresses specific or isolated
actions.

36. LIKE TO DO VS LIKE DOING
In I like skiing the important bit is the like. You're talking about something
you enjoy, and not saying much about the skiing. You might like doing it,
watching it on TV, or you might just like the idea of it, because of all the
clothing and those fancy goggles you wear.
In I like to ski you're saying something about what you enjoy, but you're
also saying something about skiing, ie that it's an activity that you actually
do. I like to ski is not appropriate if you just watch it on TV.
In other words:
I like skiing = I like skiing
I like to ski = I like skiing + I ski
Like to do - мне нравится совершать это действие; я делаю это, когда
есть возможность для удовольствия или поддержания заведенного мною
порядка.
Like doing - получать удовольствие от процесса, действия или состояния,
причем состояние может быть побочных эффектом других действий (I
like being married, I like being a student).
В отношении хобби, увлечений структуры практически равнозначны.
I like to do it - мне нравится это делать, и я это делаю, когда есть
возможность.
I like doing it - мне доставляет удовольствие сам процесс делания.

37. Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive with little difference in meaning.
Examples:
•She likes swimming.
•She likes to swim.
Although the difference in meaning is small with these particular verbs, and gerunds and infinitives can often be used
interchangeably, there is still a meaning difference. Using a gerund suggests that you are referring to real activities or
experiences. Using an infinitive suggests that you are talking about potential or possible activities or experiences.
Because of this small difference in meaning, gerunds and infinitives cannot always be used interchangeably, such as in
the examples below.
Examples:
•The British reporter likes living in New York. He lives in New York and he likes what he experiences there.
•The British reporter likes to live in New York whenever he works in the United States. He likes the option or possibility
of living in New York when he works in the United States.
•I like speaking French because it's such a beautiful language. I like the experience of speaking French, and the way it
makes me feel when I speak the language.
•I like to speak French when I'm in France. I prefer the option of speaking French when I am in France.
Verbs Followed by Gerunds OR Infinitives (Similar Meaning)
can't bear
He can't bear being alone. He can't bear to be alone.
can't stand Nancy can't stand working the late shift. Nancy can't stand to work the late shift.
cease
The government ceased providing free health care. The government ceased to provide free health
care.
continue
She continued talking.
She continued to talk.
hate
He hates cleaning dishes. He hates to clean dishes.
like
Samantha likes reading. Samantha likes to read.
love
We love scuba diving.
We love to scuba dive.
neglect
He neglected doing his daily chores.
He neglected to do his daily chores.
prefer
He prefers eating at 7 PM. He prefers to eat at 7 PM.
propose
Drew proposed paying for the trip.
Drew proposed to pay for the trip.

38. REMEMBER
• Remember to buy the newspaper on your
way back home. It reminds somebody to do
something he / she may easily forget or it also refers
to something that one must do in the future.
• I remember visiting my grandmother
when I was a little girl. Somebody did
something in the past and now he / she remembers
what he / she did.

39. FORGET
• He has forgotten to take his coat with him. The
person does not remember to do something.
• Don’t forget to lock the door (warning not to forget
a future event - more common)
• I haven’t forgotten meeting my husband. The
person remembers something he / she did in the past.
This use is generally in the negative form.
• I'll never forget kissing my first love ((not)
forgetting an event from long ago)

40. TRY
• He tried to read for a bit. It means the same
as to attempt.
• I tried to finish the exercise but couldn’t.
(try, in spite of difficulty - more common)
• When you have hiccups, try holding your
breath, if it doesn’t work try drinking some
water. The subject makes an experiment or do
something to see if it has an effect.
• Have you tried dying your hair? (try an
action as an experiment/suggestion)

41. STOP
• He stopped to buy a bunch of flowers to
his mother. It expresses purpose.
• I stopped to buy a cup of coffee (stop in
order to do something else)
• He has stopped smoking. He has not
continued doing what he / she did. (end
of any process - more common)

42. REGRET
•
•
I regret to tell you that you haven’t passed your
driving test. The introductory subject is sorry
that one must do something. At the same time that
the introductory subject is regretting what he /
she is saying the that-clause subject knows about
the information.
He regrets not going to university. Someone is
sorry that one has (not) done something in the past,
that is, he didn’t go to university and now he
regrets it.

43. MEAN
• I meant to call you, but in the end I
forgot to. It means the same as intend.
• Working as an air-hostess means
travelling a lot. It means the same as
involve.

44. PREFER/RATHER
• We can have the following structures:
– I prefer to visit Chaplin exhibition rather than (to) go
to the EOI (Present tense)
– I prefer visiting Chaplin exhibition to going to the EOI
(Present tense)
– I prefer tea to coffee (one thing to another thing)
– I would prefer to go skiing rather than (to) go fishing
but
– I would rather go skiing than go fishing.

45. VERB + GERUND
ADORE *
CAN’T STAND
CARRY ON
DON’T MIND
ENJOY
FINISH
GIVE UP
GO ON
HATE *
KEEP ON
LIKE *
LOOK FORWARD TO
LOVE *
PREFER *
We like driving cars.
She loves ice-skating.
They hated studying English.
I can’t stand listening to hip-hop.
DOING
We are looking forward to meeting Paul.
They kept on interrupting us.
They gave up smoking last week.
ICI
* These verbs can also take the TO INFINITIVE, but with a slight difference in meaning.
- With the GERUND, they show a general activity:
I like cooking.
- With the TO INFINITIVE, they show a specific activity:
I like to cook paella on Sundays.

46. VERB + TO INFINITIVE or GERUND
(WITH CHANGE OF MEANING)
REMEMBER
I remembered to post the letter.

= I reminded myself to post the letter.
STOP
I stopped to smoke.


I remembered posting the letter.
= I have a memory now of a past
action: posting the letter.
I stopped smoking.
= I didn’t go on in order to have a cigarette.
TRY
I tried to sleep.
= I wanted to sleep but it was difficult.
REGRET
I regret to inform you that we
cannot offer you the job.
= I know that you will be
unhappy when I tell you.
GO ON
I went on to talk about the exams.
= I changed subjects.


= I gave up the habit.
I tried counting sheep.
= It was a possible way of
getting to sleep.
I regret telling him that secret.
= I told him; now I realise
that it was a bad idea.
I went on talking for two hours.
= I continued doing the same thing.

47. VERB + TO INFINITIVE or GERUND
(WITHOUT CHANGE OF MEANING)
BEGIN
CONTINUE
START
She began to read the book.
=
We’ll continue to study hard.
=
We’ll continue studying hard.
I started to cook the meal.
=
I started cooking the meal.
She began reading the book.

48. There are many "go + gerund" expressions used for adventure sports and
individual recreational activities.
Examples:
•I go swimming every weekend.
•Would you ever go skydiving?
Go + Gerund List
go boating
go bowling
go bungee jumping
go camping
go canoeing
go climbing
go dancing
go fishing
go hiking
go horseback riding
go hunting
go jogging
go kayaking
go mountain climbing
go paragliding
go parasailing
go rollerblading
go running
go sailing
go scuba diving
go shopping
go sightseeing
go skateboarding
go skating
go skiing
go skinny-dipping
go skydiving
go sledding
go snorkeling
go snowboarding
go spearfishing
go surfing
go trekking
go water skiing
go window shopping
go windsurfing

49. Remember that there are many "adjective + preposition"
combinations and "noun + preposition" combinations in
English as well. Once again, you don't have to memorize
these resources, you just need to remember that gerunds
are used after prepositions!
Examples:
•Sandy is scared of flying. adjective + preposition
•Nick is anxious about taking the examination. adjective
+ preposition
•His interest in becoming a professional snowboarder
was well known. noun + preposition
•Thomas' story about seeing a grizzly bear was really
exciting. noun + preposition

50. Adjective + Preposition Combinations Followed by Gerunds
The following is ONLY A SAMPLE LIST of the most commonly used adjective + preposition combinations that can be followed by
gerunds.
accustomed to
He is accustomed to having his own office.
addicted to
She is addicted to watching TV.
afraid of
She is afraid of speaking in public.
anxious about
Norma is anxious about making the presentation.
bored of
I am bored of doing the same old job.
capable of
He is capable of winning a gold medal.
committed to
She is committed to improving her English.
concerned about
Nancy was concerned about being late.
content with
Tim is content with winning second place.
dedicated to
The organization is dedicated to ending poverty.
devoted to
The money will be devoted to protecting the environment.
disappointed with
Fiona was disappointed with coming in third place.
discouraged by
He was discouraged by not getting the job.
excited about
The researcher was excited about going to Africa.
famous for
That actor is famous for being extremely weird.
fond of
She is fond of having picnics.
frightened of
She is frightened of being alone at night.
guilty of
The banker was guilty of stealing money.
happy about
He was happy about winning the lottery.
interested in
She is interested in becoming a doctor.
involved in
He was involved in making the movie.
known for
She was known for causing problems.
opposed to
They are opposed to building a new road in the park.
proud of
He was proud of having completed the marathon.
remembered for
She is remembered for protecting mountain gorillas.
responsible for
He is responsible for causing the damage.
scared of
Tina is scared of being alone at night.
terrified of
The surfer is terrified of being attacked by a shark.
tired from
She is tired from working all day.
tired of
Margaret is tired of making dinner every night.
worried about
The hikers were worried about not having enough water.

51. adjective + preposition
We use the Gerund after the following phrases:
afraid of
They are afraid of losing the match.
angry about/at
Pat is angry about walking in the rain.
bad at
good at
John is good at working in the garden.
clever at
He is clever at skateboarding.
crazy about
The girl is crazy about playing tennis.
disappointed about/at
He is disappointed about seeing such a bad report.
excited about We are excited about making our own film.
famous for
Sandy is famous for singing songs.
fed up with
I'm fed up with being treated as a child.
fond of
Hannah is fond of going to parties.
glad about
She is glad about getting married again.
happy about/at
The children are not happy about seeing a doctor.
interested in Are you interested in writing poems?
keen on
Joe is keen on drawing.
proud of
She is proud of riding a snowboard.
sick of
We're sick of sitting around like this.
sorry about/for
He's sorry for eating in the lesson.
tired of
I'm tired of waiting for you.
used to
She is used to smoking.
worried about I'm worried about making mistakes.

52. Noun + Preposition Combinations Followed by Gerunds
The following is ONLY A SAMPLE LIST of the most commonly used noun + preposition combinations that can be followed by
gerunds.
addiction to His addiction to surfing the Internet is a problem.
advantage of He has the advantage of speaking English fluently.
anxiety about Her anxiety about speaking in public caused her to lose the job.
belief in
His belief in not harming animals was something he learned from his mother.
credit for
She took credit for improving the filing system.
dedication to His dedication to teaching was impressive.
delay in
The delay in processing the visa caused problems.
devotion to His devotion to biking allowed him to win the competition.
disadvantage of
The disadvantage of flying is that you can't see the scenery along the way.
experience in She has a great deal of experience in introducing new products to international markets.
With the noun "experience," sometimes a gerund is added without the preposition "in." "Experience introducing new products"
would also be acceptable.
fear of
His fear of flying made travel difficult.
fondness for Her fondness for traveling led to her career in the travel industry.
habit of
His habit of smoking in restaurants caused many problems in California.
interest in
Her career as a pilot evolved out of her interest in flying.
knowledge of Her knowledge of climbing helped her during the competition.
love of
His love of singing developed when he was a child.
memory of Their memories of traveling in Africa will stay with them forever.
preference for I think his preference for speaking his native language is natural.
process of
The process of painting such a large mural is more complicated than you might think.
reaction to
His reaction to winning the prize was quite funny.
reason for
The main reason for taking the course is to improve your language skills.
regret for
The criminal's regret for committing the crime did not convince the judge.
report on
The magazine's report on choosing the right car was not well researched.
reputation for Her reputation for lying is well known.
responsibility for
His responsibility for completing the project on time was acknowledged by the company.
story about I don't know if I believe his story about seeing a UFO.
talent for
His talent for learning languages was impressive.

53. Certain expressions are followed by "ING" forms.
Examples:
•He had fun fishing.
•They had difficulty finding a parking place.
•She spent her time practicing the piano.
Expressions followed by VERB+ing
have (some) problems
He had some problems reading without his
glasses.
have a difficult time
She had a difficult time hiking up the mountain.
have a good time They had a good time snorkeling.
have a hard time She had a hard time explaining the situation.
have a problem Debbie had a problem understanding his accent.
have an easy time
She had an easy time selling the delicious
cookies.
have difficulty
Wanda had difficulty translating the letter by herself.
have fun
The had fun skiing.
have no difficulty They had no difficulty finding a discount flight to London.
have no problem Francis had no problem getting from the airport to the hotel.
spend one's time He always spends his time working out at the gym.
waste one's time She always wastes her time playing video games.

54. We use the Gerund after prepositions.
noun + preposition
We use the Gerund after the following nouns:
advantage of
What is the advantage of farming over hunting?
chance of There's a chance of catching a cold these days.
choice between
There's a choice between flying to London Heathrow or Stansted.
danger of Peggy is in danger of making a mistake.
difficulty in
He has difficulty in sending SMS.
doubt about
He is in doubt about buying the correct software for his computer
system.
hope of There's little hope of catching the new Corvette.
idea of I like the idea of setting up a new email account.
interest inThere's no interest in writing letters.
method ofThis is a simple method of finding solutions.
opportunity of
There's some opportunity of bringing her parents together again.
possibility of
These new wheels offer the possibility of riding tubeless.
problem of
He has the problem of swimming too slow.
reason forThere's a real reason for winning the contest.
risk of There's a risk of digging too deep.
trouble for
He was in trouble for stealing.
way of This is a new way of building a wall.

55. We use the Gerund after the following phrases:
accuse of
They were accused of breaking into a shop.
agree with
I agree with playing darts.
apologize for They apologize for being late.
believe in
She doesn't believe in getting lost in the wood.
blame for
The reporter is blamed for writing bad stories.
complain about
She complains about bullying.
concentrate onDo you concentrate on reading or writing?
congratulate sb. on
I wanted to congratulate you on making such a good speech.
cope with
He is not sure how to cope with getting older.
decide against They decided against stealing the car.
depend on
Success may depend on becoming more patient.
dream about/of
Sue dreams of being a pop star.
feel like
They feel like going to bed.
get used to
You must get used to working long hours.
insist on
The girls insisted on going out with Mark.
look forward to
I'm looking forward to seeing you soon.
prevent sb. from sth. How can I prevent Kate from working in this shop?
rely on sth.
He doesn't rely on winning in the casino.
succeed in
How then can I succeed in learning chemistry?
specialize in
The firm specialized in designing websites.
stop sb. from I stopped Andrew from smoking.
talk about/of They often talk about travelling to New Zealand.
think of
Frank thinks of playing chess.
warn sb. against
We warned them against using this computer.
worry about The patient worries about having the check-up.

56. We use the Gerund after the following verbs:
admit He admitted having driven too fast.
avoid
They avoid going on holiday on Saturdays.
carry onIf we carry on sleeping so badly, we may need help.
considerRalph is considering buying a new house.
delay
I delayed telling Max the news.
deny
She denies reading the book.
dislike We dislike reading poems.
can't help He couldn't help falling in love with her.
enjoy I enjoy playing chess.
finish
They finished working in the garden.
give up Susan gives up playing ice-hockey.
imagine He imagined driving a new car.
include Your responsibility includes taking reservations on the phone.
involve The project will involve growing plants.
justify I cannot justify paying $100 for this ticket.
keep (on) They keep on running.
mention Did Alex ever mention playing baseball?
mind
I don't mind sleeping on the couch.
miss
They miss playing with their friends.
practise She practised playing hockey.
regret* Do you regret having mentioned it?
risk
You risk catching a cold.
suggest She suggested flying to Cairo.
* After regret the to-infinitive is used when announcing bad news:
We regret to inform you that the flight to Munich has been cancelled.

57. Gerund after special phrases
We use the Gerund after the following phrases:
to be busy
He is busy reading the paper.
couldn't help
She couldn't help eating another apple.
don't mind
I don't mind telling them my opinion.
feel like We feel like having a cup of tea.
how about
How about walking home instead of taking the
car?
it's (no) good It's no good talking to this girl.
it's no use
It's no use talking to the headmaster.
spend one's time
They spend their time reading.
there's no
There's no cheating anymore.
there's no pointThere's no point in complaining further.
what about
What about going to the zoo?
worth
The book is worth reading.

58. Gerund after prepositions
We use the Gerund after the following
prepositions:
after
After having a shower, I waited for
Steven.
before
The tablet must not be taken before
getting up in the morning.
by
I manage it by working much longer
than 40-hour weeks.
in spite of In spite of studying a lot he didn't
pass the exams.
on
She insisted on calling her sister.
without
He told the joke without laughing.

59. Gerund and Infinitive (no difference in meaning)
We use the Gerund or the Infinitive after the
following verbs:
begin
He began talking.
He began to talk.
continue They continue smoking.
They continue to smoke.
hate
Do you hate working on Saturdays?
Do you hate to work on Saturdays?
like
I like swimming.
I like to swim.
love
She loves painting.
She loves to paint.
prefer Pat prefers walking home.
Pat prefers to walk home.
start
They start singing.
They start to sing.

60. We use the Gerund or the Infinitive after the
following verbs. There are two possible structures
after these verbs.
Gerund: verb + -ing
Infinitive: verb + person + to-infinitive
advise They advise walking to town.
They advise us to walk to town.
allow
They do not allow smoking here.
They do not allow us to smoke here.
encourage
They encourage doing the test.
They encourage us to do the test.
permit They do not permit smoking here.
They do not permit us to smoke here.
We use the following structures with the word recommend:
recommend They recommend walking to town.
They recommend that we walk to town.

61. * After regret the to-infinitive
is used when announcing bad
news:
We regret to inform you
that the flight to Munich has
been cancelled.

62. In addition to simple gerund and infinitive forms, there are progressive gerund and infinitive forms, passive gerund and
infinitive forms and perfect gerund and infinitive forms as well as combinations of these forms. Progressive forms are
used to emphasize that an action is taking place now. Passive forms are used to emphasize that the subject of the
sentence is being acted upon. Perfect gerund and infinitive forms are used to emphasize completion in both the past and
the future. Study the examples below to help understand these concepts.
GERUND FORMS
INFINITIVE FORMS
SIMPLE
The teacher enjoys teaching.
The teacher wants to teach.
PROGRESSIVE
Mr. Smith is really
enjoying teaching his class.
LOOKS THE SAME AS SIMPLE
FORM ABOVE.
Mr. Smith would like to be
teaching his class.
PASSIVE
The students enjoy being
taught.
The students want to be
taught.
PERFECT
The retired teacher
recalled having taught.
The teacher was expecting to
have taught that already.
PASSIVE + PROGRESSIVE
The students are
enjoying being taught by such
an exciting new teacher.
LOOKS THE SAME AS THE
PASSIVE FORM ABOVE.
The students would like to be
being taught by Mr Smith.
PASSIVE + PERFECT
The older students
recalled having been
taught that already.
The students were
expecting to have been
taught that by now.

63. Gerund or infinitive?
1 It’s very expensive _____________ a flat in the centre. (rent)
2 Are you afraid of _____________? (fly)
3 I called the restaurant _____________ a table for tonight. (book)
4 Be careful _____________ a noise whtn you come home tonight.
(not make)
5
6
7
8
9
She’s worried about _____________ the exam. (fail)
Everybody went on _____________ until after midnight. (dance)
_____________ an only child is a bit boring. (be)
It’s easy _____________ the way if you look at the map. (find)
He’s terrible at _____________ languages. (learn)
10 A Why are you learning Spanish?
B _____________ talk to my in-laws. They’re Argentinian, and
they don’t speak English. (be able to)

64. Work, to work or working?
1 I spent all weekend _____________ on the computer.
2 I’ve decided _____________ abroad next year.
3 You must ____________ harder if you want to get
promoted.
4 My boss often makes me _____________ late.
5 He isn’t very good at _____________ in team.
6 I don’t mind _____________ on Saturdays if I can have a day
off during the week.
7 He’s gone to the UK _____________ in his uncle’s shop.
8 _____________ with members of your family can be quite
difficult.
9 My husband promised not _____________ on my birthday.
10 I used _____________ in a restaurant when I was a
student.

65. Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the
complement of a sentence. However, as subjects or complements, gerunds
usually sound more like normal, in spoken English, whereas infinitives
sound more abstract. In the following sentences, gerunds sound more
natural and would be more common in everyday English. Infinitives
emphasize the possibility or potential for something and sound more
philosophical. If this sounds confusing, just remember that 90% of the
time, you will use a gerund as the subject or complement of a sentence.
Examples:
Learning is important. normal subject
To learn is important. abstract subject - less common
The most important thing is learning. normal complement
The most important thing is to learn. abstract complement - less common
As the object of a sentence, it is more difficult to choose between a
gerund or an infinitive. In such situations, gerunds and infinitives are not
normally interchangeable. Usually, the main verb in the sentence
determines whether you use a gerund or an infinitive.
Examples:
He enjoys swimming. "ENJOY" REQUIRES A GERUND.
He wants to swim. "WANT" REQUIRES AN INFINITIVE.

67. Инфинитив без частицы to употребляется:
(а) после всех модальных глаголов, кроме модальных глаголов to have to, to be
to, ought to;
(b) после модальных конструкций have better, would rather, needn't, и глагола
to dare;
(c) после вопросительной конструкции с why, выражающей предположение о
том, что что-либо бессмысленно, бесполезно или глупо: why go there? к чему
(с какой стати) туда идти?;
(d) после подлежащих, выраженных придаточным предложением, которое
начинается с what и all: what he expected me to do was ask him about it; all he
had to do was open the door;
(e) в конструкции сложного дополнения с глаголами чувств: to see, to hear, to
feel, to notice, to observe, to watch, to listen в форме активного залога (в форме
пассивного залога со всеми этими глаголами инфинитив употребляется с
частицей to: we saw him cross the street, ср., однако, he was seen to cross the
street);
(f) после глаголов to make и to let в конструкции Complex Object: let me think it
over;
(g) после глагола to help: help the old man cross the street.

68. Инфинитив с частицей to употребляется:
1. (а) в конструкции Complex Object (smb to do smth) после глаголов to
allow, to enable, to expect, to like, to mean, to prefer, to want: I expect him
to come:
(b) в конструкции с наречиями too и enough и последующим
прилагательным: too high (for smb) to reach слишком высоко, чтобы
кто-либо мог достать: easy enough to remember достаточно легко,
чтобы запомнить.
2. с рядом прилагательных, выражающих чувства, отношение к
действию, степень качества или способ действия, таких как: able,
afraid, anxious, ashamed, difficult, disappointed, eager, easy, fit, foolish,
frightened, glad, likely, nice, pleasant, pleased, proper, proud, right, sad,
silly, surprised, unable, willing, wrong: It's wrong to say so.
3 после ряда существительных, таких как: ability, attempt, chance,
desire, failure, inability, need, opportunity, unwillingness, willingness.
4 с рядом глаголов для выражения цели, образуя бессоюзное
словосочетание в отличие от русского языка, где в этих случаях
употребляется придаточное предложение: he came to discuss the plan
он пришел для того, чтобы обсудить этот план.